Dolphins are still in Manning sweepstakes

This morning I did my usual round of texting/emailing/begging to my Dolphins and other NFL sources. And the question du jour (that means today) had to do with ESPN's constant reports that the Dolphins are down and nearly out of the Peyton Manning sweepstakes.

I reported to you over the weekend that Miami is in lockdown mode on the information and informed sources front. And there is two ways to take this approach.

It is either good news because it means the team is shutting down as to not hurt any possibility of getting Manning -- a possibility that still exists. Or ...

It means the club has locked down because Manning has swatted them aside like a gnat and Miami is simply trying to mask the embarrassment.

So I asked my sources if it's fair to believe lockdown mode is a sign the club is still in the game for No. 18 and doesn't want to hurt those chances.

"Fair," one source responded.

"Correct," another source responded.

There you go, folks. The Dolphins are still in the Manning sweepstakes. It is not over after Manning's trips to Denver and Arizona.